


One long Year

by Keeper_Amy



Series: Back to Life [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Happy Ending, No Shepard Without Vakarian, Post-Canon, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-22 11:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22715239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keeper_Amy/pseuds/Keeper_Amy
Summary: After defeating the reapers everyone thought Shepard was dead. Even herself. But it turns out she is alive and after being in a coma for one year, she is back and on her way to see Garrus again.
Relationships: Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Series: Back to Life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633594
Kudos: 15





	One long Year

_If I should go before the rest of you_   
_Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone_   
_Nor when I'm gone speak in a Sunday voice_   
_But be the usual selves that I have known_   
_Weep if you must_   
_Parting is hell_   
_But life goes on_   
_So sing as well._

Somehow, not even god know how, she found herself laying on a soft... something. There were no top or bottom, nor left or right. She felt like she was on top of a cloud and yet on a stone at the same time. Soft and so hard it pained her to even move an inch – not that she could anyway. Shepard felt her eyes were closed and tried to open them, failing in her task.

“What happened?” She wondered. Her thoughts were so slow, it felt like years to hear the last word she thought. “Is this death?” Her words echoed in the deep void of herself.

Suddenly she felt like choking. No oxygen passed her lips, even though she was gasping like a fish who was taken out of the water. She knew the feeling. Her lungs hurting, her body going numb and the pressure in her body rising. It felt like dying. Floating in the dark cold void of the space. She had been there once.

Shepard died one. In the same way. Fear filled her whole body. Not again. Not like this!

And then suddenly she felt how air filled her lungs. It was as if a green garden suddenly bloomed inside of her, repressing the cold darkness. A loud peeping noise rung in her ears and then everything was white. A bright light fluted the space she was in. Everything was so loud, so annoying and upsetting. She felt pain all over her body, even her hair seamed to hurt.

“... _ou hear me?”_

As soon as she heard this voice her focus shifted and Shepard started to notice colors and form, which then formed into a blurry face of a dark skinned woman.

“Can you hear me? Hello?”

At this point the Commander understood what was happening. She wasn't dead. Well, not yet. She just woke up after she destroyed the Reaper. Her memories flashed before her eyes. From the battle of London, the Citadel and her talking to the Catalyst and finally destroying the enemies. Then she remembers waking up for a few minutes, crawling through the rubble of the place she one knew as the Citadel, holding onto her dear life, but the passing out because the pain was so enormous.

“Earth to Jane Shepard, can you hear me Ma'am?”

She nodded.

“Good. Congrats to waking up. To be honest, we didn't have many hopes. Your brain was severally damaged. Can you try to speak? Just simple yes or no is enough for now.” Said the woman who turned out to be a Doc. Behind her stood another one, a lot younger, maybe around 17 years old, who was so nervous she nearly bit of her lip from chewing on it. On the other side of Shepards bed stood a Turian Female with bright red markings on her cheeks. She was in awe, maybe even looked like she has seen a ghost.

Jane tried to say something but couldn't - she just looked the Turian in her eyes and slowly stretched her arms towards her. Tears forming in her eyes. Garrus. She needed to know if he is still alive.

“ ** _~~~~~~~~~?~~~!~~~._** ” Silly sounding noises came out of the mouth of the Turian lady. Shepard didn't understand any of it.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, your Omni-Tool and chip-implants don't work anymore. I guess it's your doing. We are still struggling a bit with the technology but there are fisr translators out, we will get you one once you can leave the Medi-Center.”

That would take much to long. She needed to see him. Right now! Without thinking she pulled all her power together and sat up. Yes. This was the Commander Shepard everyone knew. The strongest woman alive. The one who saved the galaxy from inhalation. The woman who survived things which should have killed her instantly. All this thanks to her strong willpower, the joy of living and, of course, love.

She pulled off everything that was attached to her body of and sat up. Arms pressed instantly against her chest, trying to push her down onto her bed, but Shepard didn't think of giving up. All she had in mind was seeing her Love again. The last time she had seen him was before the very last fight. What if he didn't even make it..? No! No way. All of her crew made it out alive.

Well, everyone is far fetched. She lost so many people how were dear to her had left. Kaidan died on Virmire, Thane died in her arms on the hospital bed, Mordin sacrificed himself for the cure, Legion is dead as well.

All the loss lasted heavily on her shoulders. It pushed her forward itstead of down. None of theire deaths were wasted.

“You have to calm down!” called the Human medic. Shepard, ignoring her, fell off the bed. She couldn't feel her legs. Still, she crawled forwards, pushed herself towards the door. The door she aimed for opened and another Doctor came rushing in. Adrenalin streamed through Jane's blood, feeling her with inhuman strength. She pushed her knees under herselft and lifted her body slowly. Everyone stopped moving at once.

“I need to see... everything!” she ordered in a demanding voice.

“Y-Yes Ma'am!” call the first human and short after that, a nurse brought her a wheelchair. And old one that had to be moved by muscles and not electric power, which was weird for Shepard. She felt out of place in a world that was so limited. Dr. Chloe Michel was the one pushing her through the vast empty halls of this so called hospital.

“We couldn't tell anyone about you. To the world, you are dead Commander. The chances were to high you would never wake up. God! I don't even know how the hell you are still alive. Half of your system was shut down when we found you. We put you into a coma without any hope of helping you. As you see, the Scientist did a good job by now. We can travel the space again, but there are still no Light Speed travels possible. As for your Crew, I have a few good news. You can see them in a few days, as soon a you can walk on your own. But... Just to be honest with you, Until we can get you an Endoskeleton you won't be able to move very well. Your joints were crushed, bones broken, lungs damaged.” she told Shepard.

In the following days Jane got to knew, that she was in an artificial coma for over a year, hidden from everyone. As soon as the communication worked, a big funeral was streamed where every fallen Solider of the war was honored. With them Shepard, as a war hero and last hope of Humanity. Everyone had the chance to grieve, not hoping to ever see her again, since her body was officially never found. To not disturb the new, already weak society and to prevent anything bad happening to the so weak body of Shepard, the few Doctors held everything a secret.

Finally, after two days, Shepard sat I a small Jet. She still couldn't walk properly, but with some aid of a walking cane she could hold herself upright. She wore her hair short again. Proudly the red head left the vehicle that parked before the “Neo Citadel”, where she was heading towards. As soon as three or more people noticed her, media was on her back. They streamed everything lived on every channel they could.

“It's HER! **SHEPARD IS BACK**! SHE IS ALIVE!” everyone screamed.

But Jane went on without even noticing. She wanted to see him. And only him. She opened the big door of the HQ of the Neo Citadel and what she saw there made her eyes tear up. There was a big round table in the middle of the room. Screens with data and pictures of different citys where everywhere, so the new Leaders knew what was happening. A Guard tried to hold Shepard back at the first moment, but then let her pass.

Liara T'Soni was the new representative of the Asari Race and the knew head behind the new Tech-Revolution. Ashley Williams was the representative of the Humans. There were many more people but the one Shepard wanted to see the most stood with the back to her. The new World Leaders were talking right now, not noticing her. As soon as pictures of her walking into the HQ went live onto the screens in the room whispers started. The first to notice her was Liara. She wanted to run towards Shepard but stayed in place.

Garrus didn't notice why everyone was so nervous at the moment, why everyone was whispering and talking about everything but the political things they had to talk about. Then he looked up and saw his angle. His one and only. Shepard.

“ _How..? She was dead._ ” he whispered under breath.

At this moment she stood right behind him, tears in her eyes. He was still bigger than her, now even more with her crooked back.

“Primanch Vakarian...” Jane whispered under her breath as she touched his shoulder, so he would turn around.

“Commander Shepard...” Tears filled his eyes. Jane didn't know if he was happy or sad or mad or... everything at once. He looked so confused, stood still and only looked at her. Actually, everyone was watching her right now. For them, she was gone for over a year. They held a funeral for her, lived with the thought of her being dead. She had fallen in the Battle of London. There was no way in hell she was up and alive. Not for Garrus.

He had seen her in his dreams. Illusions of her were chasing him everywhere for the first few months. Even until today he would talk to her when he was allone, asked her for advises and help, told her ghost how he missed her and how rough his life was without her.

Without even noticing Shepard broke down in tears and started to sob. Garrus pulled her shaking body into his firm, yet shaking, arms. “Garrus! You are al-alive! A-And well!” she cried as she pushed her face down into his clothes. Yes, he still smelled the same, even now without official armor or his riffle. It was this calming mix of his own scent, oil and rust.

“H-How are you even alive Ja-Jane...?” he asked with his voiced cracked and weak. “You... You were dead. I searched for you. Everyone did. Not even Liara could get any informations so we tough you were... gone.”

It hurted her to see him like this. “I will tell you everything, I swear. But the most important thing is... There is no Shepard without Vakarian.”

He nodded, his mandibles twitching happily. “Of course, Jane. Forever.”

“ I love you. And I'm sorry for leaving you alone like this. I promise, I'll stay by your side now. I'll always find my way to you. You are my Home.”

**Love arrives exactly when love should.**


End file.
